Police evaluation includes lengthy list of recommendations

Sylvester- A survey team from the Georgia Police Chief's Association spent a week at the department looking at morale, communications, equipment, and facilities.

They say the old depot where the department is housed is inadequate, officers need to keep better records, employee morale needs to be boosted, and officers need more training.

City officials say making the improvements will take more money, but the city cannot wait on state grants to get things done.

"That's a long time scenario. What we're talking now is a need for immediate action, and so we're going to have to make some painful decisions and look at making some transfers, or making some funding available to do some immediate things. We're not talking about eight or nine months from now. We're talking about a few days from now. We're talking about a few weeks from now," says City Manager Danny Lucas.

The recommendation also includes creating programs to enhance relationships between police and the community.

There have been charges of police brutality and poor relations by people who live in Sylvester. One officer was fired after the death of a suspect in custody though he was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing.